


Starlight

by Doctor_Discord



Series: The Ego Manor [83]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adorable, Chronic Nightmares, Cute, Dorks in Love, Magic, Nightmares, Sleeping Outside, Stargazing, Stress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-15 12:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19295437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doctor_Discord/pseuds/Doctor_Discord
Summary: After a stressful couple days, the Host and Dr. Iplier relax outside under the stars.





	Starlight

Dark and Wilford have only been gone two days on their honeymoon, and the Host and Google were _losing their minds_ trying to keep everyone in line. Dark had put them in charge, and, just like classic siblings, the others blatantly refused to listen to them, for the most part. None of them really realized _how much work_ Dark and Wilford – Dark in particular – did until it was _their_ job. No _wonder_ he hurt all the time. But no one was complaining, not _too_ much at least (procrastinate and ignore, yes, but not complain, hence why Google and the Host were about to strangle half of them). They were newlyweds. They deserved a break.

The Host and Google had split the two biggest parts of Dark’s job between them – Google kept everyone from burning the place to the ground, while the Host managed the spells and magic that kept the manor running. It was beginning to wear him out, even after just two days. Blood was constantly streaming down his face, no matter what Dr. Iplier did, and his aura was becoming a permanent presence.

The Host was having more nightmares than usual with the added magical strain. He’d had three the previous night alone. So Dr. Iplier had set an alarm on his phone for just before he’d been woken up by the Host’s screaming, in order to try and get ahead of the nightmares and wake him up before they got too bad.

And currently, that was why he was sighing heavily and rolling over to press his face into the pillows at 3:00am, scrambling to turn off his phone. He rolled back over, not yet opening his eyes as he yawned. His brow furrowed. He couldn’t hear anything. The Host tended to whimper and talk in his sleep, whether it was a nightmare or not. But it was _silent_. Yawning again, Dr. Iplier reached for the Host, intending on shaking him awake anyway, just to be sure.

His hand just met the cold bed.

Dr. Iplier bolted upright, head whipping toward where the Host should be sleeping. The bed was empty, the Host gone without a trace. Dr. Iplier swore colorfully under his breath, practically falling out of bed and racing out the door, not even bothering to close it. He moved quietly through the manor, heading straight for the library. When in doubt, the Host was usually there.

The library door creaked open, and Dr. Iplier shuddered at the rush of cold air. He wandered in deeper, trying to find the light of the Host’s candle, but when he reached the middle circle and it never came, he froze.

 _He wasn’t here either_.

“Oh _shit!_ ” Dr. Iplier bolted back the way he came, skipping up the stairs two at a time, darting down the hall, and repeating the process up to the second floor, to the Host’s radio studio. He simply peeked through the window. _Still_ no sign of the Host. Which meant, following his usual patterns, there was only one other place he could be.

The Host was out wandering again.

In the middle of the night.

 _Oh great_.

Dr. Iplier stormed back down the stairs as quietly as he could, still yawning and wiping the sleep from his eyes. He opened the back door, sagging with relief while a simultaneous wave of anger crashed over him when he spotted the Host lying on the grass in the backyard, staring up at the sky. He stomped over, closing the door a _little_ too hard and making the Host jump. “Host! What are you _doing_ out here, you should be getting your rest! You’ve got a whole week of magic ahead of you, and you won’t be any good if you’re _exhausted!_ ”

The Host simply laughed, tiling his head back further to face him as Dr. Iplier moved closer. “Doctor.” He hummed, resuming his position of staring up at the sky. For the first time since Dark and Wilford left, his face was clear of blood, his aura absent.

Dr. Iplier stifled another yawn, placing his hands on his hips. “It’s 3:00am, Host. What are you even doing?”

“Stargazing.” The Host grinned up at him, patting the space next to him. He was laying on his coat, spread out on the grass beneath him, but still dressed in his pajamas. “Does Dr. Iplier care to join the Host?”

Dr. Iplier raised an eyebrow. “Goddammit, Host, _really?_ No, I’m dragging your ass back to bed, you’re not sleeping out here.”

The Host pouted, sticking his bottom limp out. “Please?”

Dr. Iplier stopped breathing for a moment, heat rising rapidly in his face as his heart stuttered. He sighed, situating himself to lie next to the Host. “Fuck you.” The Host just laughed, wrapping his arm around Dr. Iplier’s shoulders and allowing him to use him like a pillow, pulling him as close as possible. Dr. Iplier’s breath caught in his throat, drawing in a tiny gasp when he saw the blanket of glittering stars staring back at him, the night sky impossibly dark in comparison. “ _Oh my God_. It’s _beautiful_.”

“Yes, it is.” The Host sighed, shifting even closer. “The Host only wishes he could see it – properly – once again.”

Dr. Iplier tensed, turning to face him. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t –”

“No, it’s okay.” The Host pressed a kiss to his cheek before resting his forehead against it. “The Host still remembers what the stars look like. The Author…even before he went mad, the Author was not without his issues. He suffered from nightmares just as the Host does. Whenever they got particularly ah… _bad_ , the Author would go out into the forest surrounding his cabin and just…lie on the ground, staring up at the stars until he fell back asleep. It worked every time, without fail, with no more nightmares for the rest of the night. The Host…wanted to try it.”

Dr. Iplier frowned. “Why do I always end up bitching at you for strange rituals you hold dear?”

The Host chuckled. “Because they are, in fact, strange rituals. The Host does not mind sharing them with Dr. Iplier, nor explaining their origins. He is more than happy to spend as much time as possible with his beloved doctor.” He sighed, rolling onto his side and wrapping his other arm around Dr. Iplier’s waist, burying his face in the side of his throat. He mumbled against his skin, the movement of his lips tickling Dr. Iplier slightly. “All the same…would Dr. Iplier mind describing the sky to the Host?”

“I can try.” He drew a shuddering breath, studying the sky for a moment before splitting in a wide smile. “I don’t…I don’t even know where to _begin_. The stars are – they’re just so _many_ , covering the whole sky in a…a shimmering blanket.” He laughed. “It kinda looks like Bim’s hair, actually.” The Host snorted against his throat, followed by a soft hum. Dr. Iplier reciprocated in kind, wiggling one arm underneath the Host’s head to wrap around him, his hand reaching up to run his fingers through the Host’s hair. “I can see the Milky Way peeking out just above the treeline. The sky’s lighter around it, less of a navy and more of a…I don’t know, a rich sapphire color.” He paused, leaning his head to rest on the Host’s. “Do you remember what the clouds look like, when a storm is ending and the clouds are still grey, but the sun is peeking through and making that one spot _glow?_ ” At the Host’s nod, Dr. Iplier smiled, pressing a kiss to his hair. “ _That’s_ what it looks like.”

The Host sighed, snuggling closer to him. “Is Dr. Iplier _sure_ he would never like to take up a career in writing?”

Dr. Iplier burst into surprised laughter. “I just compared a _gorgeous_ night’s sky to a man’s glitter-filled hair. Yeah, I’m sure.”

The Host laughed. “Fair enough.” Suddenly, Dr. Iplier felt the Host grin, and then he was grabbing the end of his coat and rolling Dr. Iplier on top of himself, pulling his coat over them both in a warm cocoon. He tucked the edge of it beneath his own body before shyly smiling up at the stunned Dr. Iplier, tilting his head to the side. “The Host…would like to stay here for the rest of the night. If that is okay with Dr. Iplier.”

Dr. Iplier squirmed a little. “Well, considering I can’t move with destroying our lovely little cocoon here, I think I have no choice but to say yes. How big _is_ this thing if it can wrap around the both of us?”

The Host blushed. “The Host _may_ have bought a couple coats that are a few sizes too big. For multiple reasons.”

Dr. Iplier snorted. “You’re just waiting for the chance to sleeve-smack someone, aren’t you?”

The Host’s deepening blush and wide smile were answer enough.

Dr. Iplier sighed, leaning forward in order to claim the Host’s lips in a sleepy kiss before burrowing deeper into the coat-coon, using the Host’s chest like a pillow and resting his ear against his heartbeat. His eyes slipped shut, making a deep noise in his throat that might’ve been a purr. “Goodnight, Host. I love you.”

He felt the Host take his hands in his own, squeezing briefly. “The Host loves Dr. Iplier, too. Goodnight.”

**Author's Note:**

> So cute. So pure. I love my boys, and I love the concept of Dr. Iplier describing pretty things to the Host. Still, I _sincerely_ hope you guys enjoyed the wedding Friday, and Wednesday's story is about Silver! Which means there's a warning! Because Silver is a sad boi, and I need to fix him.


End file.
